The beginning of December means a bunch of things for me, a person who both lives and works on the academic calendar:
- It means time to shift into high gear to finish the fall semester
- It means time to finish up gift projects for friends and family
- It means time to wrap up 2024 work tasks
- It means time for holiday travel planning to see family and also friends while in transit
Honestly, that’s a lot.
During the pandemic, the New York Times started running an occasional feature called “How I Hold It Together”. I just checked, and yes, it’s still going. Whew…
The latest hold-it-together wisdom is from Jancee Dunn, who writes the NYT Well Newsletter. Here are a few of her tips, all of which I love. You can find them all here.
Stretching with the cat
When I see my cat flop down on the floor, I know that means he’s about to do a luxurious stretch. He does this several times a day, and it’s a helpful reminder for me — as someone who tends to stay glued to her desk — to move my body.
Often, I’ll try to get down there and join him.
Normally I can get a few stretches in before he starts getting weird — cats are gonna cat — and does things like bite my head, or try to lovingly rip out some of my hair. But until then, it’s a quick way to stay flexible.
Ask yourself: WWCD (What would Cher do?)
…Cher … told me that the best advice she had ever received was, “If it doesn’t matter in five years, it doesn’t matter.” I keep her words in mind any time I’m faced with a problem. It instantly puts the issue into context: Is this going to matter five years from now, or even five days from now?
If not, why am I giving it so much real estate in my brain? Also, thinking about Cher in general lowers my cortisol levels.
Stroll into the library to take a load of mind and body
If I’m feeling overwhelmed, I often visit my local library. There is something so timeless and comforting about it.
I like when it’s hushed and peaceful; I like when it’s bustling with people. The posters of owls reading in the children’s section (“Whooo loves reading?”) instantly calm me.
Packing a sardine can of love and cuddles
Around the time when my daughter was a toddler, I instituted a family code called “sardine can.” If anyone in the family comes home after a rough day, they can wearily announce “sardine can.”
That is a signal for everyone to immediately rush upstairs, including the person who issued the call. Then we all pile into bed under the covers and stay there, packed cozily, until the person feels better.
What family members go into the sardine can of love is entirely up to the canner. I am happy with me, loads of pillows and my Squishmallows.
In summary, there are many tools at our disposal for holding it together. If you want to read about more of them, check out my blog post from 2022 below.
Dear readers, how are you holding it together, now that 2024 is entering the home stretch?
